The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-12-29
Concerning Christmas and Its Celebration.

iitic WIS Inc uStlal consumption or turkey With
the usual Accomplishments.
Mr.. George W. Burkctt gave his clerks the usual
Christmas present in money.
y check for $500 was among the Christmas gifts
received by one Belfast lady.
The programmes announced for the churches in
this city were successfully carried out.
There was Christmas tree at the Baptist church
saturday evening, and Sunday school concert
sunday evening.
The Daughters of Iebckah presented Mrs. Mcr
cy Rich, treasurer of the lodge with large and
handsome stuffed rocking chair.
Rev. George r.. Tufts, pastor of the Baptist
church, had an envelope hung the Christmas
tree at his church. containing $50.
Large numbers Of Christmas packages went
through the mails and express Office. Some DAYS
theeNpress wagon made several trips to and from
the station.
At the Methodist church the regular quarterly
services were held, and a sermon, appropriate to
Christmas preached by Rey. {. l.. Haskell, of
>earspon sunday evening there was Il concert
by the meml'ers of the sunday school,
At tile tntaIian church the pulpit was hand
somcly decorated with eversrecns and flowers
The inl>ic.a announced last week, was finely rem
dered The pastor preached an appropriate ser
mon and in the evening he gave the first OF series
oi lectures heretofore announced.
During Christmas week Thayer & Adams gave
each customer tickets in the elephant clock that
has hecn IN exhibition in their window The Gle
liiant contains clock which furnishes power to
move the trunk and tail. Mr.. l.. .. Fcrnald held
the number that drew the elephant.
Mrs. G.. j. Paul, of this city, sent Il silver cake
basket 10 Il friend in >toneham, Mass. Without
the knowledge OF her present the >toncham wo-
man sent Mrs. Paul a silver cake basket. The two
presents arrived at their respective places on the
same day and are almost alike in pattern.
There WAS an excellent display of Christmas
poultry III our markets. Fine turkeys retaiie for
twenty cents per pound, and were superior to
some western fowl that came through the Boston
market. Geese, which more than the turkey, is a
Christmas bird, sold for sixteen cents per pound
ducks the same, and chickens twelve cents.
AZ the North Church there was a Christmas ser
mon in the morning. In the evening the services
were for the sunday school and were appropriate
TO the season. The principal features were sing
ing, and recitaions by Misses Charlotte T. Siblev.
y
-"me floral cross, presented hy Mr.. W. +. Uaml-
t'n, va, much admired.
our merchants had Il good Christmas trade, al
though the travelling was against them. Some
dealers in fancy goods say their sales far exceed
ed those of last Year, while all agree that the
trade was fully good. saturday our streets
We're iu!! Of people and business was very lively
The holiday stocks were larger than ever before,
and the shops more protusely decorated.
y Young lady i'll this city intended 10 surprise
hcf Lest Young man with Christmas gift and
during The absence of the family visited the house
ami left the present on the table. When the family
came himc that might they heard a dog howing
-na'c aid OF entering one of the small boys re
marked. II wonder how Matte W-s dog
came here" The Young ady's dog had followed
her and in the excitement was Locked into the
room.
Mr.. Hiram Jones, OF High street, expressed Il
Wish some days before Christmas for calico an
r"n- for kitchen wear, and when asked as to the
number required, said. oh Il hundred will do
This suggested AN idea to one of her many friends
and the work of making calico aprons was began
CHRISTMAS eve the aprons began to arrive through
the mail. from friends in Belfast Searsport stock
ton AMI fairell. They were of all shapes and
c"l"r-, and numbered forty when an account of
-tork Was taken sunday morning. Mrs. Jones
say ~iic shall have an apron sale.
Mi A. l.. -tnson of Belfast who is foreman
Of the stitching department of Parker \ Pcakc's
shoe factory, Bangor, WAS given a Christmas
pl1 sent ~ tie girls i'll his department. The Wing
says
Il from tlin hon
tention was called to an elegant silver ice pitcher
ami goblet ON table in the room and he was ask
al ~ read little note living upon the pitcher The
note stated nat the ladies' in the stitching depart
n!ent wished t" present the pitcher and goblet to
'ir' >,iison as !! token of their appreciation of
teir esteem. Mr.. >timson thanked the ladies for
Their beautiful Christmas gift i'll Il few appropri
ate words and is much pleased with the present
The odd Fellows, under the management of the
Daughters 81 I:ebekah, had Christmas exercises
aA'l trees At oll Fellows Hall Saturday evening
Two large well filed trees placed on either
hand of the Noble Grand's chair. The hall was
Weliiitd. Ihc exercises We're opened with pray
CT !'y Rev +. F. Hanson, the lodge chaplain This
was followed by singing the opening ode. The
remainder OF the exercises were determinations
ana singing hy the little At the close there
WAS IN alarm at the door and Santa Claus and
his wife Mother Goose We're announced. The
little ones We're III great excitement as Santa
! tlAGS dressed III fur and wearing Il long white
beard and hair, with Mother Goose ON his arm
marched to the trees and begun to distribute
r!'-' Mt. II was grand sight 10 witness the
al'tits OF the children as their names were an
bounced. The odd Fellows is the only secret So
cicty that has Christmas entertainments.
The following paragraph AS to Christmas
4 1,,-f
VIA! interest now that the festivities are over:
Christmas is the greatest day in the wear Is
there feeling that there is getting to be too much
of it:-not toe much of it in the way of Kindness
ami hrotncrly love, but in the way of worry and
expense The weeks before it are full of tcvpriSh
excitement, of nervous expectation or pcrpleNity
the days following it, OF exhaustion. Childhood
l. ON uptoc i'll two hemispheres and childhood has
""lne 50 conscious OF its deserts thatit is next
impossible to surprise it except by too small gifts.
The day has To carry Il tremendous load The
obesity that might be distributed in hcalthtul
streams throughout the year is poured out III
lirodlgal waste by some. who glad to relieve
themselves of obligation by single act In point
OF cost ii is equal to half dozen weddings. Year
by year the expense of gifts increases. Is this the
dictate Of fashion, or owing to the growth of kind
ly feeling: Is it spontaneous response to the
spirit OF the day, or do any people make gifts be-
cause they are expected to, and because every
body else does, and because there has grown up of
late years Il rivalry in this matter: Since the
Puritan dl>trust of this great feast day abated the
American people, who are the most generous pco-
pie III the world, have taken up Christmas with
the same enthusiasm that lately almost buried
funerals under weight of floral tributes At the
rate we are now rushing Christmas are in dan
ger Of wearing II out in decade or two more 1t
i already period from which too many people
date nervous prostitution Let ease up a little on
the worry and cost of Christmas and keep the
best holiday of the ages in the old spirit of lInos-
tcntatous charity and the exercise of mirth and
good will that retresheS and does not weary.
At the Baptist church Sunday the 18th, the pas
tor, Rev. Geo. T.. Tufts, delivered sermon to Pal.
estine Commandery, Knights Tempar. The church
was tastefully decorated for the occasion. In rear
Of the chanccl was floral cross and above it in
gilt letters the motto of Templary-"In Hoe Signo
Vince, BY this sign you will conquer. On each
side of the chancel behind the gas fixture were
two maltese crosses, and at one side was a large
hye-pontca star IL black ground, representing
the star of Bethlehem. The points of the star
were i'll colors. In the centre was the word
"Jcsus,' while about the points were the words
" Believe and Rejoice Saviour" King
Judge" Friend" 'Peacc" The Commandery
met at the asylum, Masonic Temple, at $50 and at
1870 marched to the church in full regalia except
swords. As they entered with chapeaus in their
right hands, held the left shoulder they made
a handsome appearance. The center of the church
WAS reserved for them. There was a good sized
audience present. The exercises were as follows
lst Organ voluntary. ID. Anthem, "Abiding in
i nfD ..,1,, A.